Trump at National Prayer Breakfast announces Education Department guidance to protect school prayer

President Donald J. Trump used his address at the National Prayer Breakfast to emphasize religious liberty and to announce that "the Department of Education is officially issuing its new guidance to protect the right to prayer in our public schools," a move he said his administration will defend if challenged in court.

Trump framed the guidance as part of a broader effort to elevate faith in public life, citing the first anniversary of the White House faith office and the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty. "For the first time in our nation's history, faith has been institutionally elevated through the creation of the historic White House faith office," he said during his remarks.

Why it matters: guidance from the Department of Education could affect public-school practices and prompt litigation about the limits of government and church separation. In his remarks the president anticipated legal challenges, saying, "Now the Democrats will sue us, but we'll win it." The transcript does not include the guidance text, implementation details or a timetable for publication.

Trump also announced a public event on the National Mall for May 2026, described as a national rededication "as one nation under God," and said the White House faith office will continue to coordinate work with faith leaders across the country. He credited executive actions and administrative steps taken during his term — including, as he stated, changes tied to the Johnson Amendment and protections for service members claiming religious objections — as evidence of the administration's commitment to religious expression.

The transcript records no formal regulatory text or effective date for the Education Department guidance. The announcement in the speech is the only evidence in the transcript; the Department of Education is named but no statute, docket number, or guidance excerpt was provided. The president's remarks also referenced prior administrative actions and commissions but did not specify new funding or enforcement mechanisms tied to the guidance.

What happened next: the speech returned to prayers and closing remarks; the transcript does not record an immediate, separate policy rollout or a publication link for the guidance.

Speakers (first appearance): President Donald J. Trump (SEG 105) and Pastor Paula White (SEG 003) are the principal speakers quoted in the transcript. Direct quotes in this article come from the president's remarks as recorded in the transcript.

Authorities referenced (in transcript): the Johnson Amendment (tax law referenced by name), the Department of Education (agency named as issuing guidance), and the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty (commission named). The transcript does not include full legal citations or documents for the guidance.